Game 128 - Forces of Basilea - 2019/12/01

Greetings!

In the last round of the first Australian Universal Battle tournament I played against Jeff who commanded Forces of Basilea.

We played against each other long time ago when Jeff was trying out Universal Battle for the first time. It was thus great to have an opportunity to play again.

What is more, that was my last game of 2nd edition and it looked like it would be the same for Jeff. So we wanted to make it a really epic battle to farewell 2nd edition of Kings of War in style!

When I checked Jeff's list I noticed that he has quite a number of ranged attacks. In particular in the form of a few highly mobile Phoenixes as well as War-Wizards. Add to that Crossbowmen, Arbalest and Spells from Ur-Elohi and you can see this army is really good at dealing damage before the melee even begins. Here are the details of that army:

Forces of Basilea - Army List

40 Crossbowmen (C), Horde, Infantry, Iron Resolve, Piercing (1), Reload!, Jar of the Four Winds

- Phoenix (P1), Monster, Breath Attack (10), Crushing strength (1), Fly, Heal (6), Inspiring, Iron Resolve, Regeneration (4+)

- Heavy Arbalest (HA), War Engine, Blast (D3+2), Iron Resolve, Piercing (3), Reload!

- War-Wizard (W1), Hero (Cavalry), Fireball (8), Individual, Iron Resolve

40 Penitent Mobs (PM1), Horde, Infantry, Crushing Strength (1), Headstrong, Iron Resolve

- Phoenix (P1), Monster, Breath Attack (10), Crushing strength (1), Fly, Heal (6), Inspiring, Iron Resolve, Regeneration (4+)

- War-Wizard (W2), Hero (Cavalry), Fireball (8), Individual, Iron Resolve

40 Penitent Mobs (PM2), Horde, Infantry, Crushing Strength (1), Headstrong, Iron Resolve

- Phoenix (P1), Monster, Breath Attack (10), Crushing strength (1), Fly, Heal (6), Inspiring, Iron Resolve, Regeneration (4+)

- War-Wizard (W1), Hero (Cavalry), Fireball (8), Individual, Iron Resolve

10 Paladin Knights (PK1), Regiment, Cavalry, Headstrong, Iron Resolve, Thunderous Charge (2), Brew of Haste

- Ur-Elohi (UE1), Hero (Large Infantry), Blizzard (2), Crushing strength (2), Fly, Heal (3), Inspiring, Iron Resolve, Thunderous Charge (1)

10 Paladin Knights (PK1), Regiment, Cavalry, Headstrong, Iron Resolve, Thunderous Charge (2),  Macwar's Potion of Catterpillar

- Ur-Elohi (UE1), Hero (Large Infantry), Blizzard (2), Crushing strength (2), Fly, Heal (3), Inspiring, Iron Resolve, Thunderous Charge (1)

Game 127 - Night Stalkers - 2019/11/30

Greetings!

In the third round I was about to play against Jeff. After our last game I was even less optimistic about my chances, especially that Jeff brought his Night Stalkers army. I consider this force one of his most dangerous and tough to win against armies. 

However, games against Jeff are always great and allow me to learn something new!

The army of Night Stalkers Jeff created is indeed a tough nut to crack. Very resilient and highly dependable, thanks to the core of the army composed of Phantoms and Shadow Hulks. Fast and mobile Fiends and in particularly Dread-Fiends create all sorts of problems are are very difficult to stop or even block. 

In general, although the army does not really have any ranged attacks, it has a lot of units that are not easy to eliminate, especially by the regiments I have, that need combined attacks to do so. 

Here are the details of the army Jeff used:

Night Stalkers - Army List

6 Fiends (F1), Large Cavalry, Horde, Crushing Strength (1), Mindthirst, Stealthy, Vicious, Staying Stone

- Shadow-Hulk (SH1), Monster, Base Size (75 x 75 mm), Crushing Strength (3), Mindthirst, Strider

- Dread-Fiend (DF1), Hero (Large Cavalry), Crushing Strength (2), Mindthirst, Nimble, Stealthy, Sure (3)

6 Fiends (F1), Large Cavalry, Horde, Crushing Strength (1), Mindthirst, Stealthy, Vicious, Dwarven Ale

- Shadow-Hulk (SH2), Monster, Base Size (75 x 75 mm), Crushing Strength (3), Mindthirst, Strider

- Dread-Fiend (DF2), Hero (Large Cavalry), Crushing Strength (2), Mindthirst, Nimble, Stealthy, Sure (3)

20 Phantoms (P1), Infantry, Regiment, Crushing strength (1), Fly, Mindthirst, Shambling, Stealthy

- Shadow-Hulk (SH3), Monster, Base Size (75 x 75 mm), Crushing Strength (3), Mindthirst, Strider

- Dread-Fiend (DF3), Hero (Large Cavalry), Crushing Strength (2), Mindthirst, Nimble, Stealthy, Sure (3)

20 Phantoms (P2), Infantry, Regiment, Crushing strength (1), Fly, Mindthirst, Shambling, Stealthy

 - Butcher Fleshripper (BF1), Hero (Large Infantry), Crushing Strength (2), Mindthirts, Nimble, Stealthy, Sure (3)

20 Phantoms (P3), Infantry, Regiment, Crushing strength (1), Fly, Mindthirst, Shambling, Stealthy

 - Butcher Fleshripper (BF1), Hero (Large Infantry), Crushing Strength (2), Mindthirts, Nimble, Stealthy, Sure (3)

20 Phantoms (P4), Infantry, Regiment, Crushing strength (1), Fly, Mindthirst, Shambling, Stealthy

Game 126 - Goblins - 2019/11/24

Greetings!

I remember talking to Jeff about the tournament and army lists chosen by the players. He asked me which army list I consider the most challenging to play against. In general, I often find it challenging to play against many armies but often due to different reasons. 

However, this time, apart from Jeff's nightmarish army of Night Stalkers I knew I would always find difficult to win against, I thought Tony's Goblins were at least equally difficult to defeat.

I am often envious that Goblins seem to have it all. Massive amount of units, good shooting, variety of troops, plenty of heroes of various types etc.

Tony's army was not an exception and here are the details of the force he brought to the tournament:

Goblins - Army List

40 Groger's Goons [1] (GsG), Horde, Infantry, Regeneration (5+)

- War-Trombone (WT1), War Engine, Breath Attack (10), Piercing (1), Yellow-Bellied

- King on Chariot (KoC), Hero, Large Cavalry, Bows, Inspiring, Nimble, Thunderous Charge (2), Yellow-Bellied

- Giant (G1), Monster, Brutal, Crushing Strength (3), Fury, Strider

6 Trolls (T1), Horde, Large Infantry, Crushing Strength (2)

- War-Trombone (WT1), War Engine, Breath Attack (10), Piercing (1), Yellow-Bellied

- Biggit (B1), Hero, Cavalry, Bows, Individual, Inspiring, Yellow-Bellied

- Giant (G2), Monster, Brutal, Crushing Strength (3), Fury, Strider

6 Trolls (T2), Horde, Large Infantry, Crushing Strength (2), Dwarven Ale

- War-Trombone (WT1), War Engine, Breath Attack (10), Piercing (1), Yellow-Bellied

- Biggit (B2), Hero, Cavalry, Bows, Individual, Inspiring, Yellow-Bellied, Banner of Griffin

6 Trolls (T3), Horde, Large Infantry, Crushing Strength (2)

- Biggit (B3), Hero, Cavalry, Bows, Individual, Inspiring, Yellow-Bellied

20 Rabble (R1), Regiment, Infantry, Yellow-bellied

- Wiz (W1), Hero, Infnatry, Bane Chant (2), Individual, Lightning Bolt (3), Yellow Bellied, Inspiring Talisman

20 Rabble (R2), Regiment, Infantry, Yellow-bellied

- Wiz (W2), Hero, Infnatry, Bane Chant (2), Individual, Lightning Bolt (3), Yellow Bellied, Scarletmaw’s Fenulian Amulet

20 Rabble (R3), Regiment, Infantry, Yellow-bellied

- Wiz (W3), Hero, Infnatry, Bane Chant (2), Individual, Lightning Bolt (3), Yellow Bellied, Blood Boil

20 Rabble (R4), Regiment, Infantry, Yellow-bellied

Game 125 - Forces of Nature - 2019/11/17

Greetings!

Welcome to the first battle report from the very first Australian Universal Battle tournament and the last event I took part in that was played with 2nd Edition Kings of War rules! Talk about saying farewell to 2nd Edition with a bang! :)

Many thanks to Michael who organised this event for a few die hard UB and KoW enthusiasts! The tournament had 5 rounds and had initially 12 participants. 10 of us finished it. We used Black Jack scoring system and Michael was announcing the scenario for each round just after the previous one was finished.

If you would like to check the results already and/or are interested in the details of the army lists participants used, please follow the link to Michael's blog:

Australian UB Tournament - Season 1

We played at 2250 points which to me was the perfect size for the games. I was really happy to participate, especially that in 2019 I did not attend many tournaments.

In the first round I drew Yan who chose to use his Forces of Nature army. It was quite a different approach to the army list composition than Jeff's so it really felt like I was playing against a completely different force. Even if it was the same faction. Here are the details:

Forces of Nature - Army List

6 Forest Shamblers (FS1), Horde, Large Infantry, Crushing Strength (1), Vanguard, Pathfinders, Brew of Haste
- Druid (D), Hero (Cavalry), Drain Lif (6), Heal (2), Individual, Inspiring, Pathfinders
- Beast of Nature (BoN), Monster, Crushing Strength (2), Fly, Lightning Bolt (6), Pathfinders, Vicious

3 Forest Shamblers (FS2), Regiment, Large Infantry, Crushing Strength (1), Vanguard, Pathfinders, Warden's Watch Formation
- Forest Warden (FW1), Hero (Large Infantry), Alchemist's Curse (10), Crushing Strength (2), Nimble, Pathfinders, Surge (3), Vanguard, Warden's Watch Formation

3 Forest Shamblers (FS3), Regiment, Large Infantry, Crushing Strength (1), Vanguard, Pathfinders,
Warden's Watch Formation
- Forest Warden (FW2), Hero (Large Infantry), Blizzard (2), Crushing Strength (2), Nimble, Pathfinders, Surge (3), Vanguard, Inspiring Talisman

10 Centaur Bray-Striders (CBS), Regiment, Cavalry, Crushing Strength (1), Pathfinders, Thunderous Charge (1), Orcish Skullpole
- Pegasus (P), Hero (Large Cavalry), Fly, Pathfinders, Thunderous Charge (1), Blade of Slashing

10 Centaur Bray-Striders (CBS), Regiment, Cavalry, Crushing Strength (1), Pathfinders, Thunderous Charge (1)
- Greater Air Elemental (GAE), Crushing Strength (2), Fly, Lightnin Bolt (3), Pathfinders, Shambling, Windblast (6)

10 Centaur Bray-Striders (CBS), Regiment, Cavalry, Crushing Strength (1), Pathfinders, Thunderous Charge (1)
- Agnih-Bhanu (AB), Monster, Breath Attack (12), Crushing Strength 94), Pathfinder, Piercing (4), Strider, Vicious

20 Naiad Heartpiercers (NH), Regiment, Infantry, Ensnare, Harpoon-gun, Pathfinders, Piercing (1), Regeneration, Brew of Keen-eyeness